I’ve been meaning to post about this for a-a-ages but got sidetracked. A new restaurant opened a few months ago on my side of town, called The Waterhouse. Under normal circumstances it would be the kind of place I could only afford to buy a starter at, but I was lucky enough to be taken there by my mum and dad, and so I got to eat a main course too, natch. The mysterious parcel on the left was my ‘Papillote’ of organic Salmon with spring vegetables (£15). Pale pink fish of the mouth-wateringly tender kind, thanks to the cooking method: ‘in parchment’, which seals all the juices in along with some tasty greens, and makes for an enjoyable unwrapping experience a la table.
Quite apart from a reassuringly nongimmicky though still fun menu (e.g. grilled leg of lamb with salsa verde; duck confit with smashed parsnips and caramelised pear; spaghetti of sustainable prawns with fennel, tomato and chilli) the best thing about this place is its eco-credentials. From the same guys who built Acorn House on Gray’s Inn Road, The Waterhouse is a paragon of sustainability; fuelled by hydroelectricity and solar roof panels, with drinking water filtered on site, plus they’ve got a vegetable garden and a wormery out back. And just like Acorn House, the restaurant is pledged to train young adults from the local area with help from The Shoreditch Trust.
Think I might be biased by my love of all things green? Read Jay Rayner.
The Waterhouse, 10 Orsman Road, London, N1 5QJ
Tel: 0207 033 0123
